Kiwi in hospital after being slashed in Malaysian hotel

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A New Zealander in hospital in Kuala Lumpur with serious injuries after being slashed in the face during an altercation in a hotel room.

Grant Stanley, 47, an Opotiki beekeeper, was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital after the attack on Friday and remained there last night.

A New Zealand High Commission representative was at his bedside when Fairfax called to speak to him yesterday. "He is in a stable condition with slashes to his face," she said.

Stanley declined to comment at this stage, she said.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said last night consular staff would continue to provide updates and advice to the man's family.

Reports about the attack surfaced on Saturday on Malaysian online media, which said a Kiwi tourist was slashed by a taxi driver in a Kuala Lumpur hotel room after an argument about a woman.

The reports said the tourist was a New Zealand beekeeper and he suffered cuts on his face and neck in the 12.30am incident.

It quoted a Kuala Lumpur police chief, Senior Assistant Commissioner Zainuddin Ahmad, saying the victim managed to escape the room and seek help before he was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital's emergency department.

Ahmad said the 41-year-old taxi driver, who knew the New Zealander, was arrested later that day.